Sony STR-ZA810ES vs Marantz SR6012 review

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The Sony STR-ZA810ES vs Marantz SR6012 comparison proves that these receivers have many common features.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Sony STR-ZA810ES has 7.2 versus 9.2 for Marantz SR6012. Regarding power, then STR-ZA810ES has such a W/Ohm ratio - 100/8 when SR6012 has a power of 110/8, 150/6. The THD is 0.09% for the STR-ZA810ES but 0.08% for the SR6012.

Audio features

Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 384 KHz/32-bit for STR-ZA810ES and 192 KHz/32-bit for the SR6012. Both the STR-ZA810ES and the SR6012 support Bi-amping. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. The Sony STR-ZA810ES has support for AirPlay, and its competitor in our comparison - AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Spotify can be used on each receiver. Compared AV receivers retain the quality of 4K/60Hz signal when transmitting from a source to a TV or projector. HDMI signal transmission in standby mode is implemented in each of the devices. Both rivals can scale the resolution of the incoming HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.

Extensive connections

The Sony STR-ZA810ES has 6/2 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 8/3 HDMI connectors of the Marantz SR6012. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. HDMI eARC is available in each model. The Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) feature is present in most modern AV receivers and the models in our comparison are no exception. Both models support the standard HDCP 2.2. The SR6012 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.

Additional features

Each of the AV receivers from our review supports 2 Multi-room zones. The STR-ZA810ES supports voice control via Google Assistant, and the SR6012 - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI. An ECO mode is only available for the SR6012. Both STR-ZA810ES and SR6012 can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

Both devices have support for Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format. The surround sound technology DTS:X is supported by devices under review.